Candlelight
by Miraculous Pink Ninja
Summary: Each candle represented someone, each flame represented a soul. Yet everyone knows hat even the tallest candles melt to the ground and the brightest flames flicker and die.


TMNT © Nick

(I'm not good at death fics, and I'm still working on improving my writing skills. This is just a little miracle that came to me while I was watching someone melt lipstick above a candle on YouTube. Credit to 'lego lover 99' for helping me with this. So guys, if you need help in writing sad fics, ask that guy, but if you want to ask for his help, be sure that you take critiques well.)

Of all things that Leonardo had gone through, this had to be the scariest and saddest moment. He barely left his father's side, only leaving to go to the bathroom and get food for this dying master.

Ever since Splinter had shown the slightest signal of death, Leo would call Donatello for a five minute check up and treatment if needed. This method had pulled back their father from the brink of life more than they could count. But this time, Donatello wasn't here. This time, there was no pulling back. This time, it was for **real**. What made it worse was the fact that not a single member of the family besides Leonardo would be there in time to be by their father's side before his last breath.

Splinter lay still with little to no movement on a mat which he had called a bed for the past years. Donnie suggested that they move him to an actual bed, but he said no, and one must do what Splinter says in this family. By the bed was Leonardo, watching. Waiting. Preventing. The room was dark, pitch black even. But if there is darkness, there is light. On the west of Splinter's room was a shelf, a shelf that held ten candles, each of different heights, each representing a member of the family. Leo would love to wish that the other members of the family would emerge from the light of their respective candles, but things weren't as simple as that.

 **Shingami**. The only reason why she was there is because she was like a sister to Karai. Her candle was black, stood tall, and would need often changing. Why? Because the fire in her was burning bright, even after becoming the newest Shredder, even after being doubted by the Foot, and even after Karai's death.

 **Karai**. She died in the last battle they fought with Saki. He fell off a cliff, along with her. Her candle may be tall, but it was never lit to begin with.

 **Casey**. His candle was white covered in dried paint. He insisted on customizing his own candle instead of having a plain one. Alongside his chubby, medium sized candle, was a small wide cream colored one, which represented his daughter, whom he found in a dumpster one night.

 **April**. She was one of the most unique kunochies the clan has ever had, and that wasn't just because she had psychic powers. She wasn't as good as Karai, but she was the next best thing. Her candle was yellow and it was placed next to Karai's, but it was shorter, and unlike the unlit candle next to it, it's fire burned bright. There would be times when Leonardo would think that April's fire was reaching out to Karai's, in attempt to bring her back, even though it was a visit of her spirit to the human world. She tried and tried alongside Splinter, but she didn't come not once, but April didn't give up anyway.

 **Mikey**. Mikey was Mikey. After the long and hard battle, he decided that he wanted to travel. He'd grown out of some of his habits, like eating rotten pizza and believing that there was such things as a mummy who'd be willing to be a hip hop team and go to outer space with him. Leonardo and Splinter had received many postcard, most of which from Asia, which was where he started his journey. His candle was short and orange with a flame burning so brightly that you'd think it'd melt the other candles.

 **Raph**. He went back to New York and became the Nightwatcher vigilante he always wanted to be alongside Casey and his daughter. His candle had several cuts, yet it stood.

 **Donnie**. He was one of the longest to stay with older brother and father. He stayed with them and helped with keeping Splinter alive. He then got an invitation from Bishop to become a scientist of TCRI, something his family insisted on accepting. And so he did. His candle looked as it it was impossible to melt. Donnie kept his purple candle in some kind of case that reused the melted wax or something like that. Leo _really_ hadn't been listening at the time.

Then, there was **Leo**. He stayed with his father in Japan as he lived his last days. His candle was jade in color. Why? Because he saw it as a relaxing and somewhat traditional color. It was growing short yet it still towered over Splinter's.

 **Master Splinter**. He was weak, yet still strong. He wanted to see Leonardo happy again. Happy about something besides his health, but his happiness was more of a relief than the actual thing, just like how he insists it was. Splinter's candle was almost gone, the light was dim and the melted wax hardened in a wide puddle around it. Leonardo would've went and bought another one if he didn't fear that his father would go while he was away. No. He was staying here, with his father. He wasn't going to abandon him like the rest.

He and his father would never talk. Words haven't been exchanged in so long that Leonardo's voice was getting hoarser each day that passed by, not that he used it anyway.

Every second that passed by, Splinter got weaker. Every second that passed by, Leo got sadder. Every second that passed by, the near future came closer. Every second that passed by... the less Leonardo left his side.

Then came the time when Leo didn't go anywhere at all. His father wouldn't eat, so what's the use of giving him food? Leo didn't eat as well, so what's the use of going to the bathroom if he didn't need to go?

Now, Leo knelt in front of his father, watching like hawk. His eyelids were heavy and he was tired. Tired from staying up for the past who-knows-how-long. Tired from waiting for his brothers to come in vain. Tired from everything. Even too tired to hope.

But he was **not** tired from watching his father. He was **not** tired for staying by his side. And he was definitely, _surely_ , **not** tired from caring for Master Splinter.

Yet even with all that, he found himself waking up from a short oblivion, or so he thought. He didn't know how long he was out, but his master was as well. His blurry vision gave him the illusion that his father was breathing, the illusion that his father was asleep, the illusion that his father was alive. But once his vision cleared, so did the truth.

Master Splinter was gone. He failed. How could he not? Leo fell asleep while watching. He wasn't there when Splinter breathed his last breath. He wasn't there when Splinter closed his eyes, hell, maybe he fell asleep and breathed his last breath in dreamland for all Leo knew. But he didn't understand, why didn't his father even _try_ to wake him up?

Nothing was clear. Leo blinked back the tears. Maybe Splinter was still breathing, but faintly. Leo stared closely, trying to get at least a little movement. Maybe Splinter's heart was still beating? Leo pressed a finger on his father's cold skin, not a good sign. He searched, but nothing came up. He tried everything, but even his eyes were blank, meaning there was no soul.

Leonardo glanced at the shelf, where Splinter's candle lay melted, and out.

He was gone.

And Leo never got to say goodbye...


End file.
